Here are some basic police-encounter rules of law and procedure that you should remember: 1. A police officer is entitled to briefly ask you questions for almost any reason. However, you are not required to answer the questions and the police cannot stop you without evidence of wrongdoing (see below). 2. A police officer is entitled to briefly stop you if he or she has a "reasonable suspicion" that you are involved in criminal activity. You may be frisked for a weapon if there is a reasonable suspicion (such as the bulge of a gun) that you are carrying one. You are not required to answer questions. You are free to leave (after the frisk, if there is one) unless the officer has more evidence of a crime than "reasonable suspicion" (see below). The officer may not legally conduct a more extensive search on the basis of "reasonable suspicion". 3. A police officer may arrest and search you (and any bags or other containers you may be carrying) if he or she has probable cause to believe you have committed a crime (or an "offense", such as disorderly conduct). Probable cause means facts that make it more probable than not that you are committing a crime or offense. 4. If you are arrested the police will take you to a police precinct. If the arrest was for a minor offense such as disorderly conduct or possession of alcohol, you will probably receive a summons and be released in several hours. (You will need reliable identification to be released.) If you do not have reliable identification and the police do not believe you will come to court, they will not release you and will take you to court, a process that takes between 24-48 hours. If you are arrested for a serious offense, you will certainly not be released. 5. If you are under 16 and are arrested, the police will attempt to contact your parents while you are at the precinct. If your parents cannot be located, the police may transport you to a juvenile detention facility and/or Family Court (depending on the time of day) where your release will be decided. In short, if a police officer has sufficient evidence that you are committing a crime he may legally stop and search you and any containers you may be carrying. Even if a police officer does not have sufficient evidence that you are committing a crime he might well stop and search you anyway. If the officer finds drugs, alcohol, illegal weapons or devices or any other illegal property, he will usually arrest you and confiscate the property. If the search was illegal you will have a basis to challenge it in court but you will not get any illegal property back.